MURDER accused Mark Bridger approached three other young girls in the hours before he allegedly snatched and killed April Jones, a court yesterday heard.

The 47-year-old had attended a parents’ evening for his own children at their primary school in Machynlleth on the night the five-year-old was taken.

While he was there he spoke to a 14-year-old girl for 10 minutes. A watching head- teacher described his conversation with the teen as “strange” and “odd”.

A short time later, the ex-slaughterhouse worker chatted to two more young girls – aged 10 and eight – as they played on their bikes on almost the exact spot where April would vanish less than one hour later.

Former lifeguard Bridger, who had been dumped by his girlfriend that morning by text message, suggested the older child attend a sleepover at his farmhouse home, Mold Crown Court heard, but she declined the offer.

The eight-year-old girl’s interview with police was played to the jury, focusing specifically on Bridger’s invitation to spend the night at his cottage.

The youngster, wearing a blue school uniform and pink ribbon on her jumper, said: “Me and my friend were playing on our bikes by the BT van by the garages in Bryn-y-Gog.

“We saw Mark Bridger, He was just driving in the van. He was turning around.

“He then noticed my friend.

“Mark said, do you want a sleepover because my daughter says you’re friends?

“She said maybe. He put his engine on and he drove off.”

One teacher said she thought the ex-abattoir man appeared drunk while at the school parents’ evening, prompting one colleague to remark: “Did you see his eyes?’

Gwenfair Glyn, 41, who runs Machynlleth Junior School, gave evidence in Welsh to the trial which was translated, and she said: “I could see Mark Bridger speaking to an ex pupil – a 14 year old girl.

“Mr Bridger was always confident, courteous and charming. He often appeared charismatic, even.

“It was odd for me that an adult with no connection with that family would be talking to a young girl.

“I know Mr Bridger has a history of relationships with young mothers.”

The harrowing 999 call made to police by Valerie Jones, a friend of April’s mother Coral, was listened to in court.

Coral left the public gallery to avoid becoming upset, as she was heard on the police tape imploring: “Please, my daughter’s been kidnapped from Bryn-y-Gog.

“My daughter was out playing with a friend and she’s been kidnapped.

“She’s five years old.”

Later, Coral can be heard in the distance panicking: “Come home, somebody’s kidnapped April. Just come home please.”

Keith Stanley, a witness, also gave evidence and described seeing Bridger’s Land Rover moments after April’s alleged abduction, “driving faster than normal” as he stopped at a garage in Machynlleth.

Asked who he saw behind the wheel, Mr Stanley pointed to Bridger in the dock and replied simply: “Him.”

He added: “I clearly saw his face. He was staring straight ahead.”

Father-of-six Bridger insists he accidentally crushed April under his wheel on October 1 last year, and hauled her into his vehicle before driving in a drunken daze around the town as he drank vodka deciding what to do.

But his explanation has been rejected as fabrication by prosecutors who dismissed his story that he woke up at his cottage the next morning completely unaware of what he had done with April’s body.

Bridger, of Ceinws, denies abducting and murdering April, and unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body with intent to pervert the course of justice.